Intermediate Awards

AQHA will recognize Intermediate competitors at the 2012 AQHA world championship shows.

(Journal photo)

 

The American Quarter Horse Association will be recognizing Intermediate-level competitors at four of its world championship shows this year.

At the 2012 Built Ford Tough AQHYA, Adequan Select, Bank of America Amateur and FedEx Open world championship shows, AQHA will recognize the top-three Intermediate exhibitors in each youth, amateur, Select amateur and open class. New this year, each individual halter class will have Intermediate awards. All Intermediate achievements will also appear on the official records of the horse and exhibitor.

"This is a great way to practice the show or competition-leveling concepts that AQHA has been exploring over the last couple of years," said AQHA President Gene Graves of Grand Island, Nebraska. "By recognizing the Intermediate exhibitor, AQHA is highlighting exhibitors who have worked hard to qualify for our world shows, and who are tough competitors at our world shows year after year, but who haven't made into the top 10 before."

• An Intermediate exhibitor at the AQHA world shows is defined as follows: An exhibitor who has never been in the top 10 at a world show in the particular class in which they are competing. For example, AQHA will not separate junior reining from senior reining, or junior western pleasure from senior western pleasure, for purposes of determining if an exhibitor is an Intermediate. However, AQHA will recognize the Intermediate exhibitors in each of the junior and senior open classes. 
• Intermediate will run as classes within classes, not separate. AQHA will not bring back the top Intermediate riders for a ride-off or in a separate class. 
• Intermediate exhibitor status is based only on an exhibitor's lifetime, combined world show record, not on the number of points he/she has accumulated. 
• An exhibitor does not have to make it to the finals of his/her class to be considered for an Intermediate award.
• There is no entry fee or nomination procedure for an exhibitor to be considered for an Intermediate award. 
• The awards will be called the AQHA Intermediate champion, AQHA Intermediate reserve champion and the AQHA Intermediate third place. 
• Intermediate accomplishments also will appear on the exhibitor's and horse's AQHA official record.

The Intermediate exhibitor recognition package will include an 8-inch clear globe for first place and 6-inch clear globes for second and third place. Each Intermediate champion will also receive a specially designed patch that can be placed on a qualifiers jacket that can be purchased by the exhibitor. The top three Intermediate exhibitors will also have the option to purchase a championship buckle.

AQHA news and information is a service of AQHA publications. For more information on The American Quarter Horse Journal or America's Horse, visit AQHA Publications.